I first met Ken Appel in 1995. At that time I was preparing to teach a course in theoretical linguistics and literature at Portsmouth High School. Since mathematical logic is the foundation for understanding theoretical linguistics, I needed to understand mathematical logic so that I could teach it to my students. Therefore, I sought someone to teach me mathematical logic. I wound up studying with a graduate student in the math department at UNH. This particular graduate student pretended to know logic, and to teach it — as opposed to the various math professors that I had who knew math, and pretended to teach it. I wasn’t learning what I needed to know! Therefore, I contacted a former math professor at UNH who told me to speak to the chairman of the math department, Ken Appel.

When I met Professor Appel I told of my situation. At first he recommended a student.

I told him that I had been down that road and didn’t want to go there again. I needed someone good. Professor Appel then said, “I’ll do it.” I was incredulous. The chairman of the math department was going to teach me! Thus began a long and rewarding relationship.

In my many years of study in academia, I realized that greatness does not equate goodness. I have had bright professors who didn’t have two cents worth of human compassion. In Ken Appel’s case, greatness and goodness went together. Professor Appel taught me one-on-one, and provided me with several textbooks — neither of which did he ask me for economic compensation. For the first time in my life I experienced the joy of understanding complex mathematics. Not only did Professor Appel teach me how to think mathematically, but he guided me through the many pitfalls of life with deep wisdom and gentle compassion.

The success of an academic course is measured by the success of its students. Four of my students published their research in prestigious scientific journals, three of my students completed research in neurolinguistics at MIT, two of my students completed original research in infant cognition at Harvard University, one of my students is currently a Rabi Scholar (a science major who is paid by the university to do research) at Columbia College, and one of my students, who is in the Ph.D program in mathematics at The University of California at Santa Barbara, wrote me the following:

“ I doubled-majored in math and physics at UNH, and the things you taught me permeated almost every aspect of what I studied. I didn’t realize until later how fundamental those thing were. Also I don’t think I could have retained any level of intellectual curiosity throughout high school if it were not for you. So seriously, thank you.”

These students were able to do academic work far beyond their grade level, and achieve success in their academic pursuits because of what Ken Appel taught me.

It has been said that the world breaks everyone. Because of Ken Appel I am stronger in my broken parts. In this uncertain, violent world of inescapable tragedy, I am certain of one thing: The likes of Ken Appel will never come again.